1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of modifying pixel data, a control unit for performing the method and a display apparatus having the control unit.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) may include a liquid crystal display panel displaying an image using light-transmissibility of liquid crystal and a backlight assembly disposed under the liquid crystal panel to provide the liquid crystal display panel with light.
The backlight assembly includes a light source generating the light provided to the liquid crystal display panel. A cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), a light emitting diode (LED), etc., may be employed in the backlight assembly as the light source.
The LED can be manufactured in a chip form. The LED may be a choice as a light source for the backlight assembly because it lasts a long time and uses very little power.
The backlight assembly may be classified into an edge type backlight assembly or a direct type backlight assembly based on its position with respect to the light source. In a direct type backlight assembly, light sources are disposed under the liquid crystal display panel to directly provide the liquid crystal display panel with light. In an edge type backlight assembly, the light source is disposed adjacent a light guide plate and light generated from the light source is guided by the light guide plate to be provided to the liquid crystal display panel.
A dimming technology may be used to reduce the amount of light generated by the backlight assembly and increase the amount of light transmitted to pixels of the liquid crystal display panel. The dimming technology may improve a contrast ratio of the image and decrease power consumption. The dimming technology divides the light source into a plurality of light-emitting blocks and analyzes image blocks respectively corresponding to the light-emitting blocks. The dimming technology increases a grayscale level of pixel data according to a brightness level of the analyzed image blocks and decreases a grayscale level of the light-emitting blocks by an increment of the grayscale level of the pixel data.
In an edge-lit dimming method, the light source is disposed adjacent a side surface of the liquid crystal display panel. The distribution of brightness may vary in accordance with the position that light from the light source is incident, because the light spreads out as the distance from the light source increases. Further, a region of the liquid crystal display panel receives light from a closest light source and adjacent light sources.
Thus, there is a need for methods of modifying pixel data due to the variation in brightness, control units for performing the method and a display apparatuses having the control unit.